Chapter Five
"Mr. Malfoy, please come this way," said the officer when Malfoy's 'check in' to the custody office was completed. He led him to the cell. Somehow Malfoy was afraid. In fact, his last night was haunted with visions of himself sharing a cell with a thief or worse, murderer, not to mention that he has lately read an article on homosexuality in prisons. The only good news was that Azkaban no longer existed. He could not picture himself with the Dementors.
When Justice Kellerman left the Courtroom yesterday, Malfoy was furious. Not only because he was to spend a week in prison, but because he was so humiliated by a woman, by Granger. He released his anger on Vincent. Malfoy could not understand how Vincent could not have checked the judge correctly. How could he not have known that there were two Kellerman judges? But then, Malfoy realised that he was to blame as well. He treated the whole affair rather lightly after initial anger when he learnt about Anne Marie's escapades. And then, his line of defence in Court was terribly stupid. His comments made in half voice were out of place, and Vincent's talk about vacations screwed everything. Of that Malfoy was now conscious.
He walked into the cell half expecting to see a lousy looking, unshaved and unkempt Rodriguez, as he was sure all convicts were called. In fact, Malfoy, being a man of six and thirty, had very little idea of the darker side of life. He didn't know what it meant to worry about money or other things; he spent his life on gentlemen-like pursuits, and earning even more money.
On walking into the cell, he found out that his 'roommate' was nothing like he imagined. He was a small, fat man of Malfoy's age, maybe a bit older, wearing an Armani suit. He looked rather scared as well. Awkward silence was hanging in the room when the warden closed the gate. Malfoy felt defenceless without a wand. Finally he spoke first:
"Hi. I'm Draco," he said, preferring not to reveal his name.
"Livius," replied the man, slightly relaxing.
Malfoy wasn't sure what to ask next, but Livius seemed to have made a decision to speak first:
"I'm here for my daughter's truancy. And you?"
"Same."
"I thought I'd kill my daughter when I got the summons. When she came back home, I was ready to tear her to pieces."
"You don't have to tell me. I was so furious that... No, I can't even think about it. But I believe it's the bad influence of my daughter's girlfriend," said Malfoy.
"You are right. That's what I think as well. My little girl is really a good child, and I am absolutely sure that it is the influence of the other girl. I always thought her to be a mean little thing. I know she comes from a good family but even in good families there are black sheep."
"I understand. I know the other girl has a good background, but as you say. One can never know, there are black sheep."
"Yes. But I was shocked when she told me what she was doing when she was supposed to have been at school," replied Livius.
"Me too. I was at first really scared. I though she got involved in pornography. I have read those terrifying articles in the press about schoolgirl pornography."
"It's funny, that you mention it, but so thought I. Michelle..."
"Michelle?"
"Yes, my daughter. It turned out that she was selling..."
"Photos of some Colonel," ended Malfoy.
"Yes, how did you know? Oh, God, your daughter and mine?"
"How dare you call my daughter a 'black sheep' or 'mean little thing'! Anne Marie is a very..."
"How dared you say that it was my daughter's bad influence?" bellowed Livius
"Gentlemen, silence," called the warden, just as Malfoy was at Livius's collar.
He stopped: "We should behave more reasonably. We are both furious that our daughters got us in here. Let's calm down," he said and after a while added: "How long did you get?"
"One day. And you?" asked Livius
"Seven days."
"Why on Earth so much? Has your daughter done it before?"
"No."
"So?" asked Livius incredulously.
"I guess both the judge and myself, we had a bad day."
"I see."
There was silence for w while and Malfoy spoke:
"I believe you run Atrium Ltd. I think Anne Marie mentioned it."
"Yes and you are the head of Malfoy Holding."
"Yes. Atrium does plumber services on large scale, right?"
"Yes."
"Do you have your agency in Poland?"
"Yes," said Livius beginning to understand to what those questions tended.
"My company will be building a factory plant there for the Japanese. The previous plumber company was not working up to our standards so maybe you could make a deal with Atrium."
"Sounds good to me."
"Let's get into particulars then." Ventured Malfoy.
Next day at twelve, the warden came in saying: "Gentlemen you are free."
"How come?" asked Malfoy
"There was an order from the Court. You don't have to carry out the rest of the penalty. Changed to probation. Probation officer will come to you tomorrow at twelve, so be home."
Malfoy wanted to kiss Vincent Goyle in the mouth for bailing him out somehow.
"Mr. Malfoy, please come this way," said the officer when Malfoy's 'check in' to the custody office was completed. He led him to the cell. Somehow Malfoy was afraid. In fact, his last night was haunted with visions of himself sharing a cell with a thief or worse, murderer, not to mention that he has lately read an article on homosexuality in prisons. The only good news was that Azkaban no longer existed. He could not picture himself with the Dementors.
When Justice Kellerman left the Courtroom yesterday, Malfoy was furious. Not only because he was to spend a week in prison, but because he was so humiliated by a woman, by Granger. He released his anger on Vincent. Malfoy could not understand how Vincent could not have checked the judge correctly. How could he not have known that there were two Kellerman judges? But then, Malfoy realised that he was to blame as well. He treated the whole affair rather lightly after initial anger when he learnt about Anne Marie's escapades. And then, his line of defence in Court was terribly stupid. His comments made in half voice were out of place, and Vincent's talk about vacations screwed everything. Of that Malfoy was now conscious.
He walked into the cell half expecting to see a lousy looking, unshaved and unkempt Rodriguez, as he was sure all convicts were called. In fact, Malfoy, being a man of six and thirty, had very little idea of the darker side of life. He didn't know what it meant to worry about money or other things; he spent his life on gentlemen-like pursuits, and earning even more money.
On walking into the cell, he found out that his 'roommate' was nothing like he imagined. He was a small, fat man of Malfoy's age, maybe a bit older, wearing an Armani suit. He looked rather scared as well. Awkward silence was hanging in the room when the warden closed the gate. Malfoy felt defenceless without a wand. Finally he spoke first:
"Hi. I'm Draco," he said, preferring not to reveal his name.
"Livius," replied the man, slightly relaxing.
Malfoy wasn't sure what to ask next, but Livius seemed to have made a decision to speak first:
"I'm here for my daughter's truancy. And you?"
"Same."
"I thought I'd kill my daughter when I got the summons. When she came back home, I was ready to tear her to pieces."
"You don't have to tell me. I was so furious that... No, I can't even think about it. But I believe it's the bad influence of my daughter's girlfriend," said Malfoy.
"You are right. That's what I think as well. My little girl is really a good child, and I am absolutely sure that it is the influence of the other girl. I always thought her to be a mean little thing. I know she comes from a good family but even in good families there are black sheep."
"I understand. I know the other girl has a good background, but as you say. One can never know, there are black sheep."
"Yes. But I was shocked when she told me what she was doing when she was supposed to have been at school," replied Livius.
"Me too. I was at first really scared. I though she got involved in pornography. I have read those terrifying articles in the press about schoolgirl pornography."
"It's funny, that you mention it, but so thought I. Michelle..."
"Michelle?"
"Yes, my daughter. It turned out that she was selling..."
"Photos of some Colonel," ended Malfoy.
"Yes, how did you know? Oh, God, your daughter and mine?"
"How dare you call my daughter a 'black sheep' or 'mean little thing'! Anne Marie is a very..."
"How dared you say that it was my daughter's bad influence?" bellowed Livius
"Gentlemen, silence," called the warden, just as Malfoy was at Livius's collar.
He stopped: "We should behave more reasonably. We are both furious that our daughters got us in here. Let's calm down," he said and after a while added: "How long did you get?"
"One day. And you?" asked Livius
"Seven days."
"Why on Earth so much? Has your daughter done it before?"
"No."
"So?" asked Livius incredulously.
"I guess both the judge and myself, we had a bad day."
"I see."
There was silence for w while and Malfoy spoke:
"I believe you run Atrium Ltd. I think Anne Marie mentioned it."
"Yes and you are the head of Malfoy Holding."
"Yes. Atrium does plumber services on large scale, right?"
"Yes."
"Do you have your agency in Poland?"
"Yes," said Livius beginning to understand to what those questions tended.
"My company will be building a factory plant there for the Japanese. The previous plumber company was not working up to our standards so maybe you could make a deal with Atrium."
"Sounds good to me."
"Let's get into particulars then." Ventured Malfoy.
Next day at twelve, the warden came in saying: "Gentlemen you are free."
"How come?" asked Malfoy
"There was an order from the Court. You don't have to carry out the rest of the penalty. Changed to probation. Probation officer will come to you tomorrow at twelve, so be home."
Malfoy wanted to kiss Vincent Goyle in the mouth for bailing him out somehow.